Listen now to the profound wisdom revealed in these sacred verses, which speak of the true nature of the Supreme and the mysterious workings of Time. He, the Supreme, has no creator and no birth—he arises from nowhere and nothing. There are no causes that bring him forth, neither impurity nor illusion. Alone and hidden within all beings, he pervades every corner of existence. He is the inner self of all creatures, the overseer of righteousness, silently guiding all. He is the abode of all beings, the ever-present witness, pure consciousness itself, untouched by qualities. Among countless souls who act or are compelled by forces, he is the one true master. He is eternal among the eternal, conscious among the conscious, and though he himself desires nothing, he grants the wishes of many. When, through the paths of Sāṃkhya and Yoga, one realizes this cause—the Lord of all worlds—when one knows this God, then the soul is released from all bonds. He is the creator of the universe and its knower, self-born and aware of all origins, the maker of time itself, endowed with qualities, the primordial one, lord of the field-knower, lord of qualities, and liberator from bondage. It was he who, in the beginning, created Brahmā and himself imparted the Vedas. Knowing this God, through the clarity of understanding, I have realized him. Desiring liberation from the endless cycle of existence, I take refuge in Śiva—who is without fruit, without action, peaceful, faultless, and stainless. He is the supreme bridge to immortality, like the wind that carries away burnt fuel. Just as people might try to wrap the sky with a hide, so, without knowledge of Śiva, the end of suffering will arrive. By the power of austerity and the grace of God, the great sages attained knowledge beyond the stages of life—pure and a destroyer of sin. This supreme secret of Vedānta, taught in ancient times, I have received from the mouth of Brahmā, by the greatness of my fortune. But this unsurpassed knowledge should not be given to one who is not peaceful, nor to a son of bad conduct, nor to an unworthy disciple. For those who have supreme devotion to God, and to the teacher just as to God, these meanings become manifest. Therefore, hear this summary: Śiva is beyond both nature and soul. At the time of creation, he acts; at the time of dissolution, he withdraws all again. From Time, everything arises, and by Time, everything perishes. Nothing exists anywhere independent of Time. When the universe—the eternal cycle of transmigration—is contained within him, it revolves like a wheel, moved by the gestures of creation and dissolution. Brahmā, Hari, Rudra, and all other gods and demons, having attained the destiny set by him, cannot go beyond their origin. Dividing beings by past, present, and future, he ages the creatures. He is supremely powerful, acts freely, and is exceedingly terrifying. Who is this blessed Time? Over whom does he rule? Who is not under his control? He whose form is measured by divisions of time—kāṣṭhā, nimeṣa, and so on—is called Time, the supreme, the radiant power of Maheśvara. That irresistible power of the Lord, which is the form of command, governs all that moves and does not move; it is the force that controls the universe. Liberation, composed of portions of that Supreme, emerges from the great soul who is Time itself, just as a spark flies forth from a blazing fire. Therefore, the universe is subject to the power of Time; it does not hold sway over Time. Time is under the control of Śiva, but Śiva is not under the control of Time. Because the unimpeded energy of Śiva is established in Time, the boundary of Time is indeed difficult to cross. Who, by any special wisdom, is able to transcend Time? No one can surpass the actions performed by Time. Even those who have conquered and rule the entire earth under one umbrella do not cross the limit of Time, just as the oceans do not cross their shores. Those who subdue the senses and conquer the world—even they do not conquer Time; rather, Time conquers them. Physicians who know the science of life and have practiced rejuvenating treatments do not overcome death, for Time is insurmountable. A being may think of prosperity, beauty, character, strength, or noble lineage, but Time, by its own power, brings about something else. The Lord unites and separates beings through both pleasant and unpleasant, expected and unexpected events. At the very moment one person is suffering, another is happy—behold the wonder of Time, whose nature is hard to comprehend. He who is young becomes old; the strong become weak; the prosperous become destitute—O twice-born, Time moves in strange ways. Neither noble birth, nor character, nor strength, nor skill is sufficient for accomplishment, for Time cannot be obstructed. Those who are supported and generous, surrounded by music and song, and those who are destitute, living on others' food—Time acts equally among them. Medicines and elixirs, even when properly administered, do not yield results out of season; but when gathered at the right time, they quickly bring success and happiness. No one dies or is born before their time; no one attains full strength before their time; no one is happy or unhappy before their time—there is nothing at all that occurs untimely. By Time, the wind blows cold; by Time, rain falls from the clouds; by Time, heat subsides; by Time, everything attains fruition. Time is the cause of all existence; by Time, crops always grow; by Time, crops perish; by Time, the world of living beings is revived. Thus, whoever truly understands the reality of the Self as Time, transcending the self of Time, sees that which is beyond Time. Such is the secret, the mystery, and the wonder of the Supreme and of Time, revealed by the sages for those who seek liberation and truth.